Now I know what I left behind
by Silver Loreley
Summary: Ingrid's death stopped the Spell of Shattered Sights and she restored Emma and Elsa 's memories, but now Elsa remembers something more: some missing memories about a certain green eyed asgardian prince. One who, by chance, looks exactly like the man standing in the crowd. (Loki x Elsa. One-shot)


Everybody in the town's streets was either laughing or apologizing under the snow that was falling placidly from the sky, now free from menacing purple clouds.  
In the middle of the snowy road, not far from where the city emerged from the forest, three young women walked arm in arm, smiling at seeing the situation restored under the clean white flakes falling from the sky. Anna, Elsa and Emma at that moment were the living representation of how an adventure of a short amount of time can form a bond of friendship and trust that usually requires years.  
«This was the craziest thing ever! I mean, not crazy as crazy, more like you would not believe it crazy» Anna said cheerfully.  
«More than an entire kingdom frozen?» Emma asked. Elsa blushed at the mention, but her face became thoughtful all of a sudden.  
«Elsa, what's wrong?» Anna asked, a little worried by the lack of enthusiasm of her sister «We fixed everything, there is nothing to worry about. Well, not exactly nothing, but we solved the main...»  
Elsa shook her head «It's not that» she said, her eyes down, like the snow on the ground could help her «I feel like there is something more»  
«What do you mean?» Emma questioned, a few of her own doubts still unexpressed.  
«My memories» Elsa precised «I remember things not related to Ingrid only, things happened when Ingrid was not there»  
«I do too» Emma asserted, half thinking about her own memories «I didn't remember the foster home where I lived with her, nor the people I met during that year, but I do now. I guess it's... well, normal is a big word when magic is involved, but I can't think of a better option» she tried to reassure her and Elsa nodded, still not convinced.  
In fact, this was not what Elsa meant, that the not-anymore-blurred memories she found inside herself were of a moment in time before she met Ingrid, but she didn't speak. She was probably just pulling out memories she didn't think about in a while only because she felt the restoring of her stolen ones.  
She smiled weakly and nodded, so the three of them started walking again, pointing all the odd things all around that have been almost used as weapons, a shovel here, a rake there, some trash cans and a mannequin fully dressed, but there were also a woman who was staring at a teapot in her hands and a boy with a rolling pin, a couple of girls who had tossed to each other the contenent of their purses and now were laughing on the floor trying to pick everything up and more little scenes that the three young women couldn't even start to list.  
They were now at the centre of the town, watching the dwarves apologizing to each other, when Snow White's voice reached them.  
«Emma!»  
She, David, Regina and little Neal in his stroller were all there, walking towards them with relieved smiles. Immediately, Emma left her friend's arm and ran towards her father who was already waiting for her with open arms.  
Elsa and Anna watched smiling the reunion, even though, in a small part of their mind, they both wished they could have a similar one with their parents. Nevetheless, both were happy for her.  
Henry arrived too and when everybody turned to watch the reconciliation kiss between Snow and David, wondering what such a couple could have to reproach each other, Elsa saw something over Emma's shoulder.  
A tall, pale man with raven black hair and piercing green eyes was observing the scene from the sidewalk, his well dressed figure in suit and tie and a golden and green scarf over the coat, standing almost unnoticed in the crowd and in the falling snow.  
«Loki...» she said under her breath. She had dreamed of him during her captivity in the Urn, but she believed he was only a product of her lonely mind until that very day, when strange but solid memories had fallen upon her after Ingrid's sacrifice, and now he was there, just a few steps away. She now remembered all the time she spent with him, his almost unnerving façade, his unusual courting and all the smiles while they showed their magic to each other and the little dancing they did in a snowstorm that didn't affect neither of them... and a kiss, one kiss only, but one that carried the height of thousand unspoken words.  
She gently freed herself from her sister's grip and walked towards him. Anna almost didn't notice because she just remembered she left Kristoff unconscious on the shore and was telling Emma they needed to pick him up.  
She stopped before reaching him, not knowing exactly what to say. Was he really the same person? What has he done in those thirty, long years? Has he, in his almost immortal life, forgotten about her already?  
She had now clear the memory of their goodbye, one that wasn't intented as such, but still it was.  
He looked at her directly and Elsa thought it was impossible to mistake him for someone else, those eyes, this cold but familiar stare, his composure and even his choice of colours, he was Loki, she was sure, but still she didn't know what to say.  
Eventually, he spoke first «Are you in need of help?» he asked politely but coldly. Ironically, a bit too much for Elsa's heart, that sank a bit.  
He forgot.  
But it didn't mean she couldn't talk to him a bit, just for the sake of lost times. Just to know what has he done in those years, to know if he was happier now, if he reached his goals... if he lived better without her. Besides, those few months could have been so important for the sake of her limited life, but not in his immortal one.  
«I was... just wondering if you have ever been in Arendelle» she tried «I am from there and you look like someone I used to know» "Or so I think" she added in her own mind.  
He nodded, then a mischievous grin and a flicker of light passed on his face, so rapidly substituted by a calmer smile that the woman almost believed she imagined it «I have been in Arendelle, indeed, but several years ago. Are we acquainted with each other, perhaps?»  
Before Elsa's hopes could rise, he added «Probably not, you look too young to have met me at the time. I have been in that realm a century ago, possibly more if memory doesn't fail me»  
She remembered that conversation, when he told her of the troubles Thor caused while they have been there the first time, visiting a woman named Skadi, who turned out was queen Brighid, Elsa's great-grandmother. She then managed to make Loki admit his part as troublemaker too, but it has been a pleasant discussion, even funny at some point. What an oddity that such a good memory was source of distress now.  
«I see» she tried to say, gathering strength for a smile that was anything but sincere. She was about to apologize and leave, but she didn't manage.  
«It's unusual» he preceded her, a sly smile that the young queen could swear was a promise of trouble, or at least of an observation that would put her on her toes «Usually, to a comment on my age I get a very different kind of reaction. It almost looks like you expected it»  
Elsa remained dazed for a moment, she had assumed who he was so she didn't think that her lack of surprise would look weird. But how could she be surprised by what she already knew?  
«I've seen a lot of weird things lately» she replied quickly, «Maybe I'm geting used to it»  
Loki tilted his head, as if he were thinking about her statement «Are you certain we did not meet somewhere else?»  
She pursed her lips. What could she say? "You are the one who doesn't remember" sounded a bit tragic and "I dreamed of you when I was prisoner" was almost mawkish.  
Finally, she decided for a more neutral answer «I'm afraid this is impossible. This is by far my first trip and it was almost completely unintentional»  
Was it disappointment the one in the eyes of this stranger who looked so much like the prince Elsa found herself in love with barely a few weeks after they met?  
«I think they are looking for you» he suddenly said, nodding toward the group she just left.  
Elsa glanced at Emma and saw she was preparing to approach after seeing her, so she motioned her to wait. Unlike her, Anna did not wait, perhaps she didn't notice the signal because she called her loudly.  
«We're going to pick up Kristoff» she said, approaching with a little hop «I left him unconscious on the beach» she added guiltily.  
The eldest rolled her eyes and smiled in spite of herself to the statement of her clumsy, lovely sister.  
«I'm coming» Elsa answered immediately «Go ahead, I know the way» she added.  
Anna was going to reply, but Emma - Elsa was grateful for her aptitude - was quick to call her back.  
Elsa turned back to Loki and forced herself to smile, collected all her regal demeanor and apologized gently «I'm afraid I have to go»  
She did not know if she was ready to return to her sister and give up forever this little hope she had, but she had to and certainly she was going to tell her sister everything. Anna - and Emma - were her only friends after all.  
She turned so steadily she didn't realize the change of expression on Loki's face, the frown of disappointment for a game ended too soon, nor she noticed his hand reching for hers until she felt it around her wrist.  
«My my, snowflake» was his comment while she turned «You really gave up easily»  
Elsa couldn't believe it, this smile, this pet name and the way he was looking at her right now...  
And how he bowed down to kiss her, lovingly, passionately and with all the longing for the time spent apart. A kiss she was truly happy to give back.  
«You tricked me!» she esclaimed once the kiss broke, unsure if she had to be angry or happy «You perfectly know who I am and... You're such a liar!»  
«One of my best traits» he admitted, with a sly smile she never knew she missed so much until now.  
Elsa couldn't be angry for this little lie, that was a fact. She knew who he was from the very beginning and shouldn't have been surprised by his game right now.  
And even though she didn't know if he was in Storybrooke for her or for his own schedule, even though she didn't have a clue if he wanted to build back whatever they had in their past or even if he was going to trick her again in the future, she didn't care.  
She was going to listen to him, share what happened to herself and then, only then, she would decide.  
Right then, the only thing that mattered was the promise of a new beginning.  
They just had to work on that.

_The End_

**This merely a little thing that came out from an answer I received on my Tumblr. It took me months to actually have the time write it, but I think it didn't turn out so bad. I have an Italian version of this same one-shot on my EFP page, you find the link in my author page.**  
**Little note: Skadi is a figure from Norse Mithology related to ice, snow and winter in general, some say she's the first idea of the Snow Queen. Here she changed name and this is the reason Ingrid and Elsa have powers.**


End file.
